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Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

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CONFIDENTIAL

PAGE 01 BANGKO 27906 01 OF 02 071401Z

65 ACTION EA-09

INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 EAE-00 CIAE-00 PM-04 H-02 INR-07 L-03

NSAE-00 NSC-05 PA-01 PRS-01 SP-02 SS-15 NSCE-00

SSO-00 USIE-00 INRE-00 A-01 OPR-02 OC-06 CCO-00 DHA-02

SCS-03 SCA-01 SY-05 AID-05 CU-02 SIL-01 LAB-04 USSS-00

MCT-01 /083 W --------------------- 099965

O R 071221Z OCT 76 FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4399 INFO AMEMBASSY JAKARTA AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR AMEMBASSY MANILA AMEMBASSY RANGOON AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE CINCPAC HONOLULU DIA WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 1 OF 2 BANGKOK 27906

CINCPAC ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 11652: GDS TAGS: PGOV, PINT, TH SUBJ: MILITARY TAKEOVER, SITREP II

REF: A) BANGKOK 27768; B) BANGKOK 4760

SUMMARY. BANGKOK AND REST OF COUNTRY CALM AS NATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM COMMITTEE (NARC) CONSOLIDATES ITS CONTROL. PARTIAL LIST OF NARC MEMBERS FORWARDED. NO MASS ARRESTS, ALTHOUGH PRIME MINISTER M.R. SENI PRAMOT IS REPORTEDLY IN PROTECTIVE CUSTODY SINCE 1800 HOURS OCTOBER 6. SOME FIGURES FROM PROGRESSIVE FACTION OF CONFIDENTIAL

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DEMOCRAT PARTY ARE IN HIDING. PRESS WILL BE ALLOWED TO

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

RESUME PUBLICATION WITHIN THREE DAYS AS PUBLICATIONS PERMIT COMMITTEE AND CENSORSHIP BOARD NAMED. CURFEW CANCELLED AT 1800 OCT 7. NARC APPARENTLY PLANNING TO APPOINT NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY TO DRAFT NEW CONSTITUTION. NEW CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT MAY BE FORMED WITHIN TWO WEEKS. POLICE NOT PARTY TO MILITARY TAKEOVER BUT COOPERATING FULLY WITH PRESENT REGIME. END SUMMARY.

1. BANGKOK AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY REMAIN CALM. THERE ARE NO RPT NO SIGNS OF ANY OPPOSITION, ORGANIZED OR OTHERWISE, AS THE NATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM COMMITTEE (NARC) CONSOLIDATES ITS OCONTROL AND REARRANGES THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPARATUS OF THE COUNTRY. THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF LARGE NUMBERS OF MILITARY IN THE STREETS, ALTHOUGH SMALL UNITS CONTINUE TO BE STATIONED AT OY POINTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. RSO INFORMED BY POLICE THAT SOLDIERS KILLED 8 PEOPLE ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 7 FOR VIOLATING THE CURFEW. POLICE ALSO SAID THAT THE CURFEW WOULD LAST FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND WOULD BE STRICTLY ENFORCED. PLANES, HOWEVER, WILL BE ALLOWED TO LAND AND TAKE OFF DURING THE CURFEW HOURS AND PASSENGERS TO BE TRANSPORTED FROM THE AIRPORT TO HOTELS IN THAI INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS BUSES. POLICE SAID THAT THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE CURFEW IS TO PREVENT STUDENTS OR LABOR GROUPS FROM ORGANIZING OPPOSITION TO THE TAKEOVER.

2. AMCONSUL UDORN REPORTED ON OCTOBER 7: SITUATION IN UDORN CALM. PACE OF LIFE UNCHANGED. CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SEEMED PLEASED WITH RETURN OF STRONG GOVERNMENT; LOCAL MILITARY LEADERS NOT YET AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT - TROOPS ARE ON ALERT BUT REMAIN ON BASES, PUBLIC APPEARS RELIEVED THAT ORDER IS ESTABLISHED BUT DISAPPOINTED AT APPARENT PASSING OF DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS, ESPECIALLY PRESS RESTRICTIONS.

3. VARIOUS EMBASSY SOURCES HAVE CONFIRMED THE FOLLOWING PARTIAL LIST OF MEMBERS OF THENARC: CONFIDENTIAL

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CHAIRMAN, ADMIRAL SA-NGAT CHALOYU; AIR FORCE COMANDERIN-CHEIF GEN KAMON DECHATUNGKA; RTA COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF GEN SOEM NA NAKHON; RTA ASSISTANT COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF GEN YOT THEPHATSADIN; RTA DEPUTY COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF GEN PRASOET THAMMASIRI; AND SUPREME COMMAND CHIEF OF STAFF GEN CHAROEN PHONGPHANIT. WE WILL FORWARD COMPLETE LIST WHEN AVAILABLE.

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

4. THE EMBASSY HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY REPORTS OF MASS ARRESTS. FORMER PRIME MINISTER M.R. SENI PRAMOT IS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO PROTECTIVE CUSTODY AT THE SUPREME COMMAND HEADQUARTERS AS OF 1800 HOURS OCTOBER 6. DR. PUAI UNGPHAKON, RECTOR OF THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY, WAS ARRESTED ON OCTOBER 6, ALLEGEDLY FOR HIS OWN PROTECTION, BUT LATER RELEASED, AND ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY FOR LONDON VIA KUALA LUMPUR. A SOURCE AT THE SOCIAL ACTION PARTY HEADQUARTERS TOLD EMBOFF THAT PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS WIRA MUSIKAPHONG, DAMRONG LATTHAPHIPHAT, CHUAN LIKPHAI AND SURIN MATSADIT HAVE LEFT BANGKOK AND ARE HIDING SOMEWHERE IN SOUTHERN THAILAND. ANOTHER PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT, UTHAI PHIMCHAICHON, FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, HAS GONE INTO HIDING.

5. USIS REPORTS THAT THE NARC WILL ALLOW THE PRESS TO RESUME PUBLICATION WITHIN THREE DAYS. DURING A MEETING WITH BANGKOK NEWS EDITORS AND REPORTERS ON OCTOBER 7, MG THUANTHONG SUWANATAT, DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION OF THE NARC, LAID DOWN VAGUE GUIDELINES OF CENSORSHIP. HE ALSO ANNOUNCED THE MEMBERS OF THE APPLICATION COMMITTEE FOR PUBLICATION PERMITS. THE APPLICATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHOM MG THUANTHONG STRESSED WERE NOT RPT NOT MEMBERS OF THE NARC, ARE: PRAYAT S. NAKANAT, KHUNYING SOMROT SAWATDIKUN NA AYUTTHAYA, SAMAK SUNTHORAWET (FORMER DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERIOR), POL MG CHAMRAT CHANKHACHON, AND MG RANGRIT RUMAKHOM. HE ALSO ANNOUNCED THE MEMBERS OF THE NEWSPAPER BOARD OF CENSORS: MR. UKRIT MONGKHOMMAWIN, MRS. TEMSIRI BUNYASING, MRS. PHIMON KIATCHAROEN, POL CAPTAIN ATHON BUNPRASAT AND MG KRIT CONFIDENTIAL

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CHICHAROEN. THESE FIVE MEMBERS ARE ALSO NOT RPT NOT NARC MEMBERS.

6. NORMAL RADIO BROADCASTING HAS YET TO BE RESUMED. THERE IS NO TELEVISION BROADCASTING EXCEPT FOR OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS. SCHOOLS WILL REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL AT LEAST MONDAY, OCTOBER 11. CURFEW WAS CANCELLED AS OF 1800 OCTOBER 7.

7. A NORMALLY WELL-INFORMED SOURCE CONFIRMED TO EMBOFF ON OCTOBER 7 THAT THE KING HAD AGREED TO THE MILITARY TAKEOVER. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE NARC WILL SET UP AN APPOINTED NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY SIMILAR TO THE 1973-75 ASSEMBLY OF THE SAME NAME TO DRAW UP A NEW CONSTITUTION WITHIN SIX MONTHS.

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

NARC WOULD ALSO APPOINT A CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT. THE SOURCE SAID THAT THE NLA WOULD BE APPOINTED AND THE GOVERNMENT FORMED WITHIN TWO WEEKS. ACCORDING TO THE SOURCE THE NEW CONSTITUTION WOULD GREATLY INCREASE THE POWER OF THE PRIME MINISTER AT THE EXPENSE OF THE ELECTED PARLIAMENT. THE PRIME MINISTER NEED NOT BE A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT.

CONFIDENTIAL

NNN

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PAGE 01 BANGKO 27906 02 OF 02 071420Z

65 ACTION EA-09

INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 EAE-00 CIAE-00 PM-04 H-02 INR-07 L-03

NSAE-00 NSC-05 PA-01 PRS-01 SP-02 SS-15 NSCE-00

SSO-00 USIE-00 INRE-00 A-01 OPR-02 OC-06 CCO-00 DHA-02

SCS-03 SCA-01 SY-05 AID-05 CU-02 SIL-01 LAB-04 USSS-00

MCT-01 /083 W --------------------- 100201

O R 071221Z OCT 76 FM AMEMBASSY BANGKOK TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4400 INFO AMEMBASSY JAKARTA AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR AMEMBASSY MANILA AMEMBASSY RANGOON AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE CINCPAC HONOLULU DIA WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 2 OF 2 BANGKOK 27906

CINCPAC ALSO FOR POLAD

IM A POLICE MAJOR, WHO TOOK PART IN FIGHTING AT THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY ON OCTOBER 5, TOLD EMBOFF ON OCTOBER 7 THAT THE POLICE WERE NOT RPT NOT PARTY TO THE MILITARY TAKEOVER OF OCTOBER 6. RSO SOURCES CONFIRM THIS INFORMATION BUT ADD THAT THE POLICE

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

ARE NOW COOPERATING FULLY WITH THE NARC. THE MAJOR ALSO SAID THAT THERE ARE MILITARY COMMITTEES IN EACH POLICE PRECINCT HEADQUARTERS TO MONITOR THE ACTIVITIES OF THE POLICE. HE WAS HOPEFUL THAT THE COMMITTEES WOULD BE SHORT-LIVED.

9. THE NARC SEEM TO BE IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE CONFIDENTIAL

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PAGE 02 BANGKO 27906 02 OF 02 071420Z

SITUATION. THE COUNTRY REMAINS CALM AS PEOPLE ARE CONDUCTING BUSINESS AS USUAL. THE NOTICEABLE DECREASE IN THE NUMBERS OF CARS ON THE STREETS IS THE ONLY INDICATIONTHAT ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY HAS HAPPENED. THE GENERAL PUBLIC SEEMS TO AGREE WITH THE NARC THAT THE MILITARY TAKEOVER WAS NECSSARY. AMONG THE BETTER EDUCATED, POLITICALLY AWARE THAIS, HOWEVER, THERE IS PASSIVE DISMAY AT THE TURN OF EVENTS.

10. ON OCTOBER 7 EMBOFF LEARNED FROM PHONGPHON ADIREKSAN, SON OF MG PRAMAN ADIREKSAN, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER IN LAST GOVERNMENT IN SENI GOVERNMENT AND LEADER OF THE THAI NATION PARTY, THAT THE THAI NATION PARTY LEADERS ARE VERY UNHAPPY ABOUT THE MILITARY TAKEOVER. PHONGPHON SAID THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE COUP BUT PURE OPPORTUNISM ON THE PART OF THE MILITARY. HE SAID THAT THE VILLAGE SCOUTS AND THE POLICE ALREADY HAD THE SITUATION UNDER CONTROL ON OCTOBER 6, AND THAT SURIN MATSADIT, DAMRONG LATTHAPHIPHAT, AND CHUAN LIKPHAI HAD AGREED TO RESIGN BY 1800 HOURS OCTOBER 6 AS DEMANDED BY RIGHTISTS. HE ALSO SAID THAT HIS FATHER DID NOT THINK THERE WOULD BE ANY PLACE IN THE NEW GOVERNMENT FOR THAI NATION LEADERS, BUT THEY WILL WAIT AND SEE.

1. COMMENT: FROM THEIR POINT OF VIEW THE MILITARY APPEAR TO HAVE CHOSE AN AUSPICIOUS MEMENT TO STAGE THE COUP. AS FAR AS CAN BE ASCERTAINED THE ARMED FORCES LEADERS WERE UNITED AND APPARENTLY HAD AT LEAST THE TACIT APPROVAL OF THE KING. THE ALLEGED ACT OF LESE MAJESTE, WHCIH BROUGHT CONSERVATIVE SUPPORTERS OF THE MONARCHY INTO THE STREETS BY THE TENS OF THOUSANDS AND ALLOWED THE BRUTAL KILLING OF THE STUDENTS AND OTHER ACTIVISTS AT THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY, EFFECTIVELY NEUTRALIZED THE ACTIVISTS. COUP PLOTTING OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO HAD TENDED TO BE INHIBITED BY THE PROSPECT OF THOUSANDS OF CASUALTIES FROM STUDENT AND LABOR UNION OPPOSITION. THE SWIFT ARRESTS OF THE STULENT LEADERSHIP ON OCTOBER 5 AND THE HESITANCY OF THE TRADE UNIONS TO OPPOSE THE POLICE (WHO WERE ACTING AGAINST THOSE CONSIDERED

Margaret P. Grafeld Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 04 MAY 2006

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